It's die cut day @ Practical Scrappers

Today, Practical Scrappers is featuring layouts using die cuts.   I love using diecuts on my pages (and cards) because I really enjoy using my Cricut Expression to make my own alphabets and embellishments.

For this page, I used the Sesame Street Font cartridge to make the Elmo and the # 1.   These photos are from my son's first birthday party, which was only, oh....about 29 years ago!   I made the Elmo diecut a little larger than normal because it was going towards the bottom of the page and needed to be large enough to balance the photos at the top of the page. 

  The new call list has been posted on Practical Scrappers blog, so check it out here and submit your projects to be featured on the blog!

I love sewing

One of the challenges from the on-line crop @ Shimelle.com was to create a page with "I love" in the title.  I decided to do a page about my love of sewing; it helped that I had some of the new Jillibean Soup "Homemade 6 Bean Soup" line that I really wanted to use.  :)   The layout design came from sketch #18 on the Sketch Support site.

I can remember my mom letting me usse her fabric scraps to make Barbie doll clothes.   Mom taught me to sew when I was in elementary school, and I'm still sewing today.   The things I've sewed have changed - from Barbie doll clothes to clothes for myself, then on to clothes for my kids, quilting and now clothes for my granddaughter.   Nowadays, I do more scrapping than sewing, but sewing is still my first love.

Bingo card challenge

I made this layout for a challenge based on this one from Shimelle.com.    The bingo card I had in my stash actually said "BINGO" at the top, so I cut a piece of cardstock from a similar color, covered the top of the bingo card and then used red alphabet stickers to spell "PLAY" and a chipboard button at the center.  This is my son at age five playing with his favorite Playmobil sets....he could keep busy for hours playing with these toys and his imagination!

Sketch challenge @ Shimelle.com

I made this layout for last Friday's sketch challenge @ Shimelle.com.   The photos are of my DD and DGD on the 4th of July.  My daughter is always trying to get a good picture of the two of them together, but two-year-olds don't always cooperate with a grandma and her camera, LOL! 

Chop that Paper challenge

One of the challenges at Shimelle.comhttp://www.shimelle.com/ was to create a page using only patterned paper as your embellishments.   You know those gorgeous papers we hoard.....well we had to chop some up for this challenge.   I had some Cosmo Cricket Odds & Ends paper from last month's kit at Back Porch Memories, so I cut various pieces from some of those sheets for this page.   The photo is of my mom and her dog, sometime around 1953-1954.   I love finding old photos, scanning and repairing them in Photoshop.  Don't you just love the saddle shoes and bicycle in these photos?

Time for the second Sassy Lil card sketch for August!

The scallop circle and bow on this week's card sketch immediately made me think of a wreath.  I decided to do a fall wreath, since I love sending out "welcome Fall" cards.  (It's my favorite season!)

I used my Cricut and the Christmas wreath from the Joys of the Season cartridge for this card.  Instead of using Christmas colors, though, I cut the wreath base in dark brown, and then cut it three more times in various Fall colors of cardstock.   I just snipped some of the leaves apart and arranged them around the base to get a variation of colors.  

We'd love to see your card based on this sketch.  Just link it up to the Sassy Lil Sketches blog for a chance to win a prize from our wonderful sponsor this month - My Favorite Things!

My Scraps & More weekly blog challenge

My Scraps & More has started a weekly sketch challenge every Thursday on their blog.  I loved the sketch this week, and decided to use some new Jillibean Soup papers with it to scrap these photos of DGD on the merry-go-round at the county fair.

Tammi is also having a DT call right now, so be sure to check out the My Scraps and More blog and forum for all the details!

It's a "retro" challenge @ shimelle.com

One of the challenges @ shimelle.com was to "go retro" by scrapping any photos taken prior to this year.  I went way back to 1963 for these photos of my sister and me in our little backyard pool.  I was about 7 and my sister was 1-1/2.  I have no idea what's up with the bathing cap I'm wearing - guess I'll have to ask my mom about that stylish accent, LOL!   I used some Jillibean Soup and Luxe papers on this one and a sketch from the new Sassy Lil Sketches ebook.

Yay! The Sassy Lil E-book is here!

At Sassy Lil' Sketches, we are happy to announce the first Sassy Lil' Sketches Ebook has been released!
The Sassy Lil' Sketches Ebook features about 70 brand new sketches designed by Cherie Averill!
You'll find sketches for layouts with one, two, three & multiple photos! You'll even find double page sketches! Plus, sample layouts from talented designers that will spark your creativity!

Most of the sketches use standard photo sizes (4x6, 5x7, 8x10). To get extra mileage out of the sketches, switch it up! Use the sketches to create cards, double pagers, etc.! If you need ideas for "switching it up", check out the cards in the Sample Layouts section or stop by the Sassy Lil' Sketch blog on Saturdays.
The Sassy Lil' Sketches Ebook is available for online viewing or you can easily download and print it. It's your choice.

Visit http://www.sassylilsketches.com/ to get the Sassy Lil' Sketches Ebook & get scrapping!

I was lucky enough to be chosen as a designer for one of the sketches in the book.  Here's my page based on one of the sketches in the book.  I used several different Lily Bee papers on this one.

A sticker-y challenge

I can't believe I've gotten six layouts done so far this weekend - gotta love an on-line crop (and having some weekend scrappy time)!

This challenge at Shimelle.com was to use stickers from either two different manufacturers or from two different lines of one manufacturer.   On this page, I used a journaling block sticker, black alpha stickers and a sentiment sticker (happines is with you) from Echo Park; tiny circle alphabet stickers from Jenni Bowlin, and a circle sticker from Cosmo Cricket (it had a smiley tomato in the center, but I covered that with a circle of pp and a button).  It's a clean and simple page, for sure, but it shows off one of my favorite photos of my daughter and her family.  :)

Half page challenge

This is for the half-page challenge @ shimelle.com.   It can be a challenge to leave so much empty space on a page, but it really does help to draw attention to the photo, and works especially well when you only have one photo for your page.   I love the look of pages with lots of white space (or in this case, kraft space, LOL!).

Aqua, red & white challenge

The color story challenge at Shimelle.com was to use aqua, red, and white on a project.  Well, I'm embarrassed to say it, but I've had this page in progress since 2004.  Yup, it was a class project at one of the Camp Memory Makers 2004 events.  I've used the design on some pages and cards since then, but never used the original page.   Since this page had the aqua and red, I added some white lace and cardstock, a few additional embellishments and some photos of DGD.   I really love this color combination - need to use this more often!

The "grid it" challenge!

Another one of the challenges from Shimelle Laine (http://www.shimelle.com/) was to make a grid-patterned layout.  I had been struggling with scrapping some of the photos from our motorcycle trip to the Outer Banks this year and I thought printing smaller size photos and using a grid design would be a good way to get some of the random photos scrapped.  (I have a ton of photos but they are all kinda "so-so", know what I mean?)

I used some pp from Basic Grey and Lily Bee, some Lily Bee tiny alpha stickers and some really old MM rubons, and a travel sticker that has been in my stash forever - it's nice to use up some of the older supplies!

Another challenge from Shimelle Laine

For this challenge @ Shimelle.com, we were given a starting point - a basic page layout to use and build from - sort of like starting with a sketch.

I used some Pink Paislee & October Afternoon papers for this page of my DGD.  She learned how to make this face from her cousin and now she thinks it's so funny to do this!   Ahhh....the joy of being two!

Hybrid challenge from Shimelle.com

Shimelle Laine is hosting an on-line crop this weekend at her blog here.  The first challenge was to use some digital printables to create a hybrid project (the digital printables are free on her blog and they are awesome!)
I used all three printables on my project, as well as some old Pink Paislee papers and some Maya Road kraft coasters.   (The printables are the journaling block, and the different size circles, which I used as flower centers and as a scallop border.)  Most of the challenges for the on-line crop will be due next Sunday, so you have a whole week to get them finished.   Looks like lots of fun - hope to see you there!

Glue dots & glitter!

This week's challenge at CAS-ual Fridays was to use glue dots or glue lines to adhere glitter to a card.  This is such a great non-messy way to glitter a project!  

I paper pieced this card, using clip art from PC Hug Club and some dimensional foam adhesive.  I applied glue dots to the scallop-punched border and then sprinkled lime green glitter over top.  Another glue dot was applied to the star on the witch's hat, and sprinkled with yellow glitter.  I used some of my favorite Lily Bee alphabet stickers for the sentiment and added some purple ink around the edges and a little lime green ribbon.



Blog hop winner!

There were three entries for my challenge for the Practical Scrappers blog hop, so I used random.org to choose a number and the winner is......#3 Marie!

Marie, please post here with your mailing address (or email address so I can contact you, if you prefer) so I can get your prize in the mail.   Thanks to everyone who played along and everyone who took part in the blog hop!

Practical Scrappers "Home" projects

This week, Practical Scrappers will be featuring some "home" projects.   These aren't the DIY kind - they're cards and pages featuring houses.

I made this canvas a couple of months ago, after seeing some of the projects my on-line friends had made in Christy Tomlinson's "She Art" classes.   Christy (the owner of Scarlet Lime) has several videos on making art canvases on YouTube.  Check them out for some great inspiration!

This is an 8x10 canvas that I bought on sale at Michaels.  I coated it with gesso as a base, then started layering papers from the back to the front:  the cloud paper for sky, then a couple of green papers cut on curves for the grassy hills.  The house was tucked in between the two green papers.  The flowers and bird were fussy cut from pp, and the hearts were cut with my Cricut.  The house and all it's part were cut free hand.   The sun is a circle punch and then some wedges cut from pp as the sun "rays".  The clothesline poles were cut from grungeboard, so they would be a little thicker and add some dimension.  I tied some DMC Memory Thread to the posts for the clothesline.  (This thread has a wire center so it's flexible and sturdier than just plain cord.)  The hearts are attached with tiny paper clips.   As a final touch, I added the sentiment with rubon alphas, a splash of yellow paint around the sun, and a yellow sticker border at the bottom.

It's Blog Hop Time @ Practical Scrappers!

Thanks for joining us for the Practical Scrappers Blog Hop.  We're sharing projects that relate to the number two since it's our second anniversary!  Some of our DT members will be sharing projects and some will host challenges, so be sure to visit all the blogs this weekend to see everyone's projects!

As my part of the blog hop, I'm hosting a "pairs" challenge.  Pick one of the options below and create a one or two page layout using that pair of items. (You can use other items, too, as long as you include the two items in your selected pair.) Deadline is midnight Sunday, 8/7. I'll post a random prize winner on Monday, 8/8.  Just link your project to this thread.   The winner will receive a bag of ribbon and two sets of Thickers!

1) cardstock only (no patterned paper) and ribbon or twine
2)  patterned paper only (no cardstock) and buttons
3)  journaling strips and two photos
4) two or more types of alphas in your title and brads somewhere on your page
5)  two different sizes of photos and handwritten journaling


All of our designers have worked hard on their challenges and projects and I know you'll enjoy checking out their blogs. If you started at the beginning with Practical Scrappers, then your next stop will be Audrey's blog. But just in case, here's the entire blog hop list:

Practical Scrappers

Christine

Kerri  

Erin

Jessica

Pia

Corinna

Brenda B

;(You Are Here)

Audrey

Jayma

Claude

Andrea

Fern

Jodi

Caz

Kylie

Carolina

Sandi

Aymee

Teresa

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today! I hope you enjoy our blog hop!

Our first card sketch for August!

It's time for the first card sketch for August from Sassy Lil Sketches!  We have a new DT this month and a new posting schedule, so be sure to check out the blog and sketch challenges!

Here's this week's sketch.  There are a lot of elements to this sketch, but don't be afraid to try it - it was a lot of fun to work with!



Here's my card from the sketch.  I used some older Basic Grey, and a large needle to punch holes in a circle design as faux stitching.  The sentiment was stamped on the pp and then colored with Copics.

If you use this sketch, be sure to link your creation up to the blog post for a chance to win a prize from this month's sponsor, My Favorite Things.   We look forward to seeing your creations!

It's a two-page layout challenge!

As part of our second anniversary celebration @ Practical Scrappers, today's challenge is to do a two-page layout.  When I first started scrapping about 13 years ago, almost every layout I did was a two-pager.  Then I found myself going more and more towards single page layouts - I guess because they were easier to do for challenges and DT assignments and they were more "in style".   But I really like two-page layouts, especially for occasions when you have lots of pictures.....and I always take lots of pictures, LOL! 

I used Echo Park's "Splash" collection for this layout of my DGD swimming in my parents' pool this summer.  She's only two, but she's doing a great job swimming and splashing in the pool!

We'd love to see your two page layouts, so please link them up to the Practical Scrappers blog!

It's time for "Two's Bingo" @ Practical Scrappers!

Today, the anniversary challenge @ Practical Scrappers is a bingo game!  There's a bingo card posted on the Practical Scrappers blog, and the challenge was to pick a line from the card and make a layout that includes two of each item in that line.

I chose a diagonal line, so my items were two pp's, two ribbons, and two stamps.   Here's my page, showing my DGD with her goldfish that her grandpa won for her at our county fair.  (I'm sure her parents appreciated that, LOL!)  I used a green grid pp, along with a pink,green & orange striped pp; green stitched and pink checked ribbons, and a doodle stamp under the fish along with a distressed grid background stamped in pink on the green pp. 

Hope you stop by the Practical Scrappers blog to take part in our bingo game and the other anniversary events!

Same inspiration but two different cards!

Since we're celebrating our second anniversary at Practical Scrappers, this week will be full of challenges revolving around the number "two".

Today's challenge is to create two cards from the same sketch or using the same item(s) BUT the cards themselves have to be different. I used this sketch from Sassy Lil Sketches to make two cards: